Greater Manchester Integrated Transport Authority – heading in the wrong direction.
On Friday 19th November the Greater Manchester Integrated Transport Authority (GMITA) Policy and Resources committee will vote on a recommendation to continue the ban on Bikes on Trams. Love Your Bike campaigners believe that GMITA transport policy is heading in the wrong direction and are calling on GMITA members to demonstrate the vision and commitment to develop the truly integrated and sustainable transport system that Greater Manchester deserves in the 21st century. (1)
One of the key reasons given for continuing the ban on cycle carriage is that the £3.3 million retrofit costs are too high and not currently secured. [2] But these costs are so high, precisely because, despite the in-principle decision in 2003 to allow cycle carriage, the GMITA/GMPTE failed to ensure that the new trams ordered were configured to be able to carry bicycles.
The committee reports present a catalogue of reasons why cycle carriage is not possible, but fail to explain why many other cities in Europe and North America actively encourage this type of integrated transport systems. For example, the tram service in Koln (Germany) is both more complex and larger than Manchester. It has 11 lines and carries nearly ten times the number of daily passengers. Koln utilises basically the same trams as Manchester and also switches between rail lines as well as travelling through the city centre, and both systems are driver-only. The key difference is that the Koln tram service permits cycle carriage.
The committee report also claims that a recent survey, carried out by GMITA into Metrolink passengers views, showed that only 43.3% of respondents supported cycle carriage when they were asked if they were in favour of removing seats to accommodate bikes. [3]
However, Love Your Bike believes that the inclusion of a unwarranted ‘health warning’ in the questionnaire resulted in respondents being asked a series of ‘leading questions’ which call into question the validity of the survey results. [4] This ‘health warning’ included the following text:
“3. The carriage of bikes may introduce a risk of collision with the bike by passengers, especially if the tram had to stop sharply.”
Survey respondents were not informed of the evidence from Northern Rail (who are more enthusiastic about encouraging passengers to travel with their cycles) who have reported that they:
“have no record of accidents involving passengers and cycles, although the occasional claim (one or two per annum) for dry cleaning is presented where contact has been made by clothing and bicycle chains or other dirty parts of the bike.”
Nor of the findings of the earlier report by consultants Mott MacDonald who stated that:
“It should be noted that from the information obtained from systems where cycles are permitted on trams, none have reported any safety issues or referred to any claims resulting from bicycle carriage.”
So even though the GMPTE research and consultants reports suggest that there is a minimal risk of such an incident occurring, the survey participants were not provided with any balanced information.
The GMITA committee will also be discussing a report on a potential for a ‘Tram-Train’ network in Greater Manchester. [5] Whilst acknowledging that there a range of key challenges, this report exhibits a positive, can-do approach suggesting that these obstacles can be overcome. It is interesting to contrast this can-do approach with the negative, can’t do / problem laden approach to cycle carriage. If the Tram-Train network gets the go-ahead then Love Your Bike is concerned that even more destinations in Greater Manchester will become inaccessible to people wishing to combine bicycle journeys with the public transport system.
When asked why they don’t use public transport many people mention the ‘problem of the last mile’. Quite literally, public transport often leaves people up to a mile away from their final destination. They don’t want to walk that far – so they travel by car. Creating a public transport system that encourages people to combine the flexibility of a bicycle with bus, train and tram services would help provide a sustainable solution to this problem.
The Greater Manchester Integrated Transport strategy claims to want to encourage more trips to be made by bicycle. [6]
Manchester Friends of the Earth is calling on the GMITA to make sure that in the future tram services introduce facilities to allow bicycles to travel on trams and deliver a joined up and truly integrated transport service for Greater Manchester.
Catherine Thomson from Manchester Friends of the Earth said:
“Manchester prides itself as a city which leads the way – now is the time for the Greater Manchester Integrated Transport Authority to show the vision and commitment to develop a truly sustainable and integrated transport system for Greater Manchester. The Love Your Bike campaign believes that enabling people to combine bicycle journeys with the public transport system, including Metrolink, would provide an effective means of encouraging people to choose sustainable modes of travel.”
ENDS
CONTACTS FOR COMMENTS
Pete Abel, Love Your Bike campaign. Mobile: 07951 642858
Catherine Thomson, Manchester Friends of the Earth Transport campaign. Mobile: 07956 577206
Notes to Editors:
[1] See Committee report at www.gmita.gov.uk/downloads/file/3244/item_08_the_carriage_of_bicycles_on_trams
[2] See www.gmita.gov.uk/downloads/file/3235/item_04_implications_and_costs_of_tram_modifications
[3] See www.gmita.gov.uk/downloads/file/3244/item_08_the_carriage_of_bicycles_on_trams
[4] The questionnaire asked all respondents to indicate that they had read, and understood, the following points:
“If bikes were allowed to be carried on trams, there are several implications as a result:
1.To satisfy UK safety regulations, seats would need to be removed to allow enough space to enable bikes to be carried, for example:
o To allow 2 bikes per tram – approximately four to six seats would need to be removed
o To allow 4 bikes per tram – approximately 8 to 12 seats would need to be removed
2. The number of bikes allowed on a tram at any one time would need to be self regulated by the cyclists and other passengers as the trams do not carry onboard Metrolink staff in the saloon at all times.
3. The carriage of bikes may introduce a risk of collision with the bike by passengers, especially if the tram had to stop sharply.
4. Please tick to confirm you have read and understood these implications. Yes No.”
[5] See www.gmita.gov.uk/downloads/file/3248/item_11_potential_for_tram-train_to_play_a_role_in_the_development_of_local_train_services_in_greater_manchester
[6] Final Local Transport Plan 2006/07 – 2010/11 : GMPTE’s website states: “we will continue to adopt a fully integrated approach to influencing travel behaviour with a range of measures to encourage more of the large number of shorter trips to be undertaken by bike or on foot rather than by the private car.” www.gmltp.co.uk/gmltp2_html/section_1111133135866.html
[7] Love Your Bike is an award-winning campaign co-ordinated by Manchester Friends of the Earth. Based in Manchester, we aim to promote cycling and to help make it an attractive, accessible and fun way to get around. www.loveyourbike.org
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